Halloween is a fun and exciting time for kids, but hazards exist when sorting through candy after a night of trick-or-treating. Parents must take precautions to determine whether a piece of candy is safe to consume, including:

Tell your children not to eat any treats until you have looked them over.

If candy treats are not commercially wrapped, or are found in torn, damaged or loose packages, throw them out.

Wash your hands before opening and eating candy treats.

Remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys from the loot bags of young children. Do not let children under three years of age play with any toys containing small parts.

Wash fresh fruit thoroughly and cut it open before eating it. Inspect for holes, including small punctures and cuts, and if any, do not eat the fruit. When in doubt – throw it out.

Consider giving out treats that do not contain ingredients like peanuts, tree nuts, milk and egg. These ingredients can cause severe reactions in individuals who have allergies or sensitivities.

Parents or caregivers of children with food allergies should read labels carefully and avoid candies that do not have an ingredient list, or that have a "may contain" statement for ingredients to which the child is allergic.

If your child has been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector because of a food allergy, make sure they have it available whenever they are eating.